After holding that title, wrestlers such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Randy "Macho Man" Savage and The Rock went on to win the more prestigious WWE Championship.

That's a goal Wade Barrett, who has had three stints as IC champion, hopes to accomplish.

Barrett, a bare-knuckle boxer from Liverpool, England, lost the title at WWE's Payback pay-per-view Sunday night to Curtis Axel, the son of another former IC champion in "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig.

Barrett will continue his quest to become a world champion as part of "WWE SmackDown Live" at the Ocean Center on Saturday. It's the first time in almost three years WWE has held an event in Daytona Beach.

The News-Journal talked by phone with Barrett.

Q: Describe your time in Liverpool as a bare-knuckle boxer.

I used to live there back in my early 20s. It's a rough, working-class town in England. I was picked up by accident — a couple of people set me up in a bar.

Q: Describe your time in developmental and WWE's NXT.

I went to developmental at the end of 2007. I debuted in NXT in 2010, so it was just over two years. I had a great time. I was kind of split between Louisville in Ohio Valley Wrestling and then in Tampa with Florida Championship Wrestling. It was a good chance to polish up my skills. I was wrestling in the UK. Stars from the past — Dr. Tom Prichard, Al Snow, Norman Smiley, Dusty Rhodes — really helped me polish up my skills, from my character to in-ring skills. It gave me the extra experience.

Q: As a guy who paid his dues in developmental, what are your thoughts about WWE's new Performance Center in Orlando? Have you been there?

I haven't been there yet. I heard it's double the size of the facility in Tampa. I love the fact that they've improved it further. People have compared it to what NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball teams have. It's really a great chance for guys coming in and getting polished as soon as possible. We're always trying to bring new guys in. Maybe I'll get there next time I go to Full Sail University (in Winter Park) for our NXT shows.

Q: Debuting in 2010, you're still considered young. At 32, though, how much longer do you see yourself in WWE?

You only have to look at the guys at the top. I was watching Big Show and Kane when I was in my middle teens (14, 15, 16). I really feel like I've just scratched the surface. I'll probably wrestle until about the age of 40. That's a realistic age.

Q: What kind of injuries have you had?

I've had two serious ones in my career. For the most part, I've worked through it. I had a back injury in 2009 that required surgery, and I was out 9 months. In 2012, I broke my arm. The back injury came off a landing — a freak accident in training. The arm injury was during a match — another freak injury. We always go out of our way to not get injured. We always stress to our fans to not try this (wrestling) at home. There are serious risks involved in what we do.

Q: Do you miss either of your former groups — Nexus or Corre?

I think the Nexus was a lot of fun. It was a great time in my career. I felt the storyline and stuff on TV was getting a great response. Who knows, we might bring it back at some point. The Corre, I wasn't too keen on it.

Q: This was your third stint as Intercontinental Champion. How did this one differ from your first two?

I think the first one in 2011 was a lot of excitement for me. I was still pretty new. I was still caught up in the whole excitement. I was a little more mature this time around. I'm using this as a springboard. Ultimately, I want to be one of the world champions. At the moment, I'm a SmackDown guy. Both world titles have a lot of prestige and great history. I get to be on both shows, too.

Q: Any thoughts on SmackDown usually being taped Tuesdays for airings on Fridays?

We're surrounded by lots of fans. We don't feel too much difference. We still have that live event feel.

How did you get the part-time announcing gig on Main Event?

It's something I enjoy doing. There are a lot of aspects as to what we do in WWE — part of that is verbal communication. I feel that's one of my strong points. WWE recognizes that. I was happy to do that.

Q: Who are the wrestlers to watch in the next 10 years?

Bray Wyatt (formerly known as Husky Harris) is going to be a big deal with the Wyatt Family. They are very strange and very creepy. He's going to be a big star. There's an English guy named Adrian Neville. He's an incredible athlete and a very high-flyer. He's in the mold of a Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara. I think he might be the most athletic guy I've ever seen. Bo Dallas has a lot of potential. He made the mistake of attacking me, though. He needs some maturation.

Q: You're a marine biology major? Please expound.

Yes, I was, before I knew what to do with my life. I was looking to expand my education. It was something I enjoyed. It was a three-year course at the University of Liverpool. I carried on my studies, but the wrestling picked up and took over.

Q: So, any in-ring science discussions with Damien Sandow on tap?

He's a rare man in WWE who I can relate to. I enjoy talking to him.

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